Emory stockwell



(No `Model.)-

E.' STOCKWBL'L. APPARATUS POP SPPABATING DUSTPROM AIR. N0.418,542. y Patentedneogs1,1aa9.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMoRY s TocKWELL, oF. sTAMEoRD, CONNECTICUT, AssieNoR oE oNEHALE To HENRY E. ToWNE, oFfsAMEPLAoE.

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING DUST FROM AIR SPECIFICATION vforming part of Letters Ifatent No. 418,542, dated December 31,1889. Appiimion ieanecember 7,1886@ serai No. 220,896. (No moda.)

To all whom 17m/ay con/cern: B e it known that I, EMORY STocKWELL, of Stamford, in the county of Faireld and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and usefulApparatus for Separating Dust from Air, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention is designed to be used in manufactories Where metals are ground or polished. Its object is to efficiently separate the tine metallic particles o r dust (caused by grinding and polishing Operations) from the atmosphere containing them and to collect them in a Water-receptacle. The result of this separation is to leave the air pure and to leave the metallic particles in a mass Where they can be Withdrawn and saved for use.

My invention accordingly consists of apparatus for separating such particles from atmospheric air impregnated with them.

My apparatus consists in a machine for `forcing a current of air carrying tine dust and vided like the Water and is thoroughly and.

intimately intermingledwith and saturated by the Water, and thus completely Washed and cleansed or purified Without the aid of airscreens,v and the d-ust and metallic particles are thoroughly Wet and separated and collected in the bottom of the Water-vessel.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating a form of embodiment of my invention Which I deem the best, Figure l is an elevation, partly in section; Fig. 2, a top view, and Fig. 3 a view of a diaphragm.

Referring to the letters upon the drawings, A indicates an ordinary fan-blower, Which is to be connected by means of an inlet pipe or pipes B with an emery-wheel or grinding Wheel or Wheels in the usual Way to convey oif the dust vand fine metallic particles.

C indicates an airreservoir around the yjbloWer, the arrangement being such that a current of air conveying the dust and iine particles ofY metal will be drawn by the `oper 'ation of the fan into the reservoir and disl charged out of the pipe E downward uponI Wa# ter contained in any suitable Water-receptacle. 6o g The dust-impregnated air, being driven forcibly inhtot-he Water, Which shouldbe onlya short distance-say about four to siX inches, (more or less,) according to the size of the pipe E and the strength of the blower from the end of the pipe E-the Water Will yieldunder the force of the current of air driven against it and Will rise around the end ofthe inlet-pipe i E, through one or more perforated or reticui' lated diaphragms'F. These diaphragms Will 7o icause the Water to be broken up or jetted and agitated, and to bubble up and foam as if boiling. The air, divided and escaping in jets through the openings in the diaphragms,

comes in contact with the divided agitated and seething Water, and is thoroughly submerged, Washed, and cleansed of its impurities, Which are completely entrained in the Water and collected at the bottom of the water-vessel G. 8o

I prefer to form my Water-vessel and airchamber H in cylindrical form ot' sheet metal and to bolt them together, as indicated at I, in any usual manner, so that they form prac tically one vessel provided with an air-inlet 8 5 opening, an air-outlet opening D, and'one or more perforated diaphragms. These diaphragmsl may be formed of Woodor metal, provided With numerous small holes suffi- Where tWo or more diaphragms are used, not to have the holes in the upper diaphragms directly over those in the lower diaphragm. The holes not being in vertical alignment, the Water will be more broken up, and its agitation and bubbling,- and consequent-ly its Washing effect upon the air blown through it, Will be improved. y

l prefer to use a spout or side extension K, such as illustrated, in order to facilitate Io cient for the free outlet of the air. l prefer, go`

2 5 less.

45 ter.

the removal of the mud or lnetallic mass from the water-box; but that forms no part of my invention.

I provide an ordinary float-valve, partially illustrated in outlinen diagrammatically in Fig. 1, for opening and closing a cock to let water into the water box and spout.

On account of the volume of water contained in the afer-receptacle, the apparatus 1o will operate for a limited period without any fresh supply of water; but, as evaporation is rapid on account of the blast of air forced against the water, itis important to have an automatic arrangement such as a ioat- 1 5 valve, for example-to supply the water whenever it becomes too low in the receptacle. Otherwise the adjustment of the water-supply with reference to the end of the inletpipe would soon become seriously disturbed and zo interfere with the efficient working of the ap- 3o rods M, secured at their lower ends to the diaphragms, and which pass up through the top of the air-reservoir and through suitable "W lugs or castings N, provided with set-screws O.

I have found it advantageous to use soap 3 5 or some saponaceous substance or a chemical that will aid in inducing a spumous condition of the agitated water through which the air is passed, because the material thing is to cause the air to actually pass through the water not in considerable masses, but in finelydivided condition, so as to be intimately mixed or intermingled with the water and become thoroughly saturated, and the4 more foamy the condition of the agitated Water the `bet- I can employ saturated steam, but preferably generally in conjunction with water, to be jetted or sprayed into the air-chamber or water-vessel, or both, to aid in the saturation of the air or of the dust or metallic par- 5o ticles.

In Fig. l, P indicates a steam-pipe, (and there may be several,) which may be connected with a steam-generator, having a great nu mberof minute perforations through which the wet steam may be jetted suitably to aid in the separation of the solid particles from the air; but by my apparatus I can collect all of the particles of solid matter by the use of water alone, so that the air finally escaping is as pure and safe to breathe as the ordinary atmosphere in good condition near the surface of the earth. I do not deem it necessary or profitable generally to use steam; but it is practicable.

If desired in any case, an overflow-opening may be made in the water-receptacle and provision made for a continuous waste and supply of water in place of an intermittent supply by means of a iioat-valve or otherwise.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In an apparatus for separating dust from air, a chamber containing water in its bottom and air above the water, an inlet-pipe entering the chamber and adapted to deliver impure air against the water, and a perforated or reticulated diaphragm surrounding the mouth of the inlet-pipe and dividing said chamber into two parts, substantially as set forth. i

2. In an apparatus for separating dust from air, a chamber containing water in its bottom and air above the water, an inlet-pipe entering the chamber and adapted to deliver impure air against the water, a perforated or retieulated diaphragm surrounding the mout-h of the inlet-pipe and dividing said chamber into two parts, and a ball-valve to automatically supply the water as fast as evaporated, substantially as sctforth.

3. In an air-purifying apparatus, the combination, with the chamber adapted to contain water in its bottom and air above the water, of an impure-air-inlet. pipe bE, a fixed perforated diaphragm around the mouth of said pipe, and an adjustable diaphragm over the fixed diaphragm, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

EMORY STOCKXVELL.

Witnesses:

SCHU-YLER MERRITT, GEO. E. WHITE. 

